Car-coupling



(No Model.)

H. M. KEITH.

Y GAR COUPLING.

No. 284,436.A atented S MI* y WITNESSBS: HF INVBNUR %O"/V%m I w t ATTORNEY NY PElEn Phuwmhogmpmr. wnxhingm. D. C.

. tion.

UNITED vSTATES NPATENT OFFICE.

HENEY M. KEITH, 0E EnvING, MASSACHUSETTS. y

CAR-COUPLING.

SPAECIFICAfIIlVIONforming part of Letters Patent No.` 284,436, dated September 4,. 1883.4

' Application filed Lune 7, 1883. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, `HENRY M. KEITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erving, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specication.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in car-couplings; and it consists in the combination, witlrthe draw-bar head thereof, of a circular link-lock adapted to rotate therein in a vertical plane in the rear of its mouth, and of ahorizontally-vibrating `bolt for Said lock, constituting both a pivot for the latter and a locking-bar therefor, and means for swinging said` bolt to leave the link-lock free` to rotate, and to prevent it fromturning under traction-strain.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drawbar head, and Fig. 4 a plan view thereof, con- `structed with link-locking devices according to my invention.` Fig.` 2 is a sectional view, as is also Fig. 3,- on the line w w, Fig. 4.

In the drawings, A is the draw-bar head, constructed with a circular chamber at 'the rear of its mouth forthe reception of the circular link-lock h, a portion of whose periphery is cut away, as shown. The mouth of the draw-bar head is chambered at its rear side` to allow the end of the coupling-link oto penetrate under said linklock. A bolt, e,is secured by one end to the head A by a pin which passes through a boss, m, on one side of the Said head. The bolt e passes transversely through the head A from side to side in a wide bolt-hole, the form of which is shownin full and in dotted lines in several of the flgures, and is capable of I vibratory movements therein, said hole being arranged at an incline,

as shown. A slotted lever, d, is `pivoted on one side of head A, and the free end of bolt e projects through the slot o thereof. A strap, o, on the side of head A, behind which lever #d passes, assists in keeping the latter in posi- A chain, n, is attached to the free endA of lever d, which may be extended to the roof or sides of a car over suitable rollers, whereby lever d may be operated without going between cars to which the coupling is applied.

The link-lock h is 'adapted to rotate on the bolt e when the latter lies in a position directly across the head A, thus bringing the bolt to a position through the center of the link-lock, as shown in Fig. 3.. One side of the link-lock is made of a suitable form to constitute an arm, z, which swings into the link c and engages therewith, as shown in Fig. 2. The side of the lock h opposite to the arm z is enough heavier than its arm side to overbalance the latter when it hangs on the bolt e, as in Fig. 3, and cause it to automatically take the position there shown; but when the link-- lock has been rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2, andl the free endfof bolt e is moved rearwardly to swing the bolt to the position shown in the latter figure and bythe dotted linesin Fig. 4, that part of the bolt which is in Contact with the link-lock is moved to one side of its center, and the latter cannot be rotated by the tractional strain of the link c. Thel opening from the rear of the mouth of the head A into the link-lock chamber is of such form as to permit of introducing the lock h Vinto said chamber by holding it with its cutaway edge down. Bolt e is then passed through the head and secured by pinning it, as aforesaidl The operation of my improvements is as follows: The position of the linkilock h when ready to act and automatically hook into a coupling is that shown in Fig. 3. To permit the lock to assume said position, the bolt e, by

lifting up the end of lever d, -or by other suitable means, is swung to a central position, as in Fig. 3,when the lock will rotate-to the position there shown, to act as aforesaid. lThe link c,.being connected tothe draw-bar of another ca r, and by the latter driven into the head A, against the lower side or end of the lock h, causes the latter to rotate on the bolt e and the arm z to engage in the link, as shown in Fig. 2; and when the link-lock has taken said position and the link` is drawn against arm z, the lock is Slightly lifted against the upper front end of the head A and off from the bolt e, which, being freed from the weight of the link-lock,'slides down the inclined bolthole and beyond the center of the lock, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, so that the latter IOO cannot turn upon it. The traction-strain of the link then being exerted against the inner edge of the arm'z, the lock is drawn forcibly against the upper front end or side of its chamber, and the bolt e, being tightly clamped between the edge ofthe lock,with which it is in contact, and the lower side of the inclined bolt hole, serves to hold the lock rigidly against any tractional strain.

'Iloy uncouple cars or disconnect the link from the lock h, the free end of lever d is swung upward, carrying the lower edge of its slot c against the end of bolt e, and swinging the latter to a central position,when the linklock will rotate to the position shown in Fig. 3, rs't being started by the movement of the link as it goes out of the head A.

' Any suitable means, if desired, may be adopted in connection with this coupling for raising the end of the link as it is about to enter the draw-bar mouth when cars are approaching each other.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1'. In combination with the draw-bar head A,having a circular chamber back of its mouth, the circular link-lock h and the bolt e, pivoted to one side of said head and passing transversely through said chamber, and adapted to have a vibratory motion in said head in a direction at an incline to a horizontal plane, substantially asset forth.

2. In combination with the drawbarhead A,having a circular chamber back of its mouth, the circular link-lock h, the bolt e, pivoted to one side of said head, and adapted to have a vi bratory motion therein in a -direction at an incline to a horizontal plane, and the lever d, adapted to engage with the free end of said bolt, substantially as set forth.

HENRY M. KEITH. Witnesses:

OHARLEs J. BATES, A. M. LYMAN. 

